In general, the present invention relates to methods of generating fixed arrays of proteins or coded sets of protein-conjugated microparticles.
Certain macromolecules, such as proteins, are known to interact specifically with other molecules based on their three-dimensional shapes and electronic distributions. For example, proteins interact selectively with other proteins, nucleic acids, and small-molecules. The identification of molecules that interact with proteins lays the groundwork for the development of compounds to treat diseases and their associated symptoms.
The discovery of a single drug candidate can require the screening of thousands of compounds. It is therefore important to be able to screen large numbers of compounds rapidly and efficiently. One method for screening a large number of compounds is to fix candidate binding partners, such as proteins, to a solid support.